Biden called out Musk for saying the Tesla CEO once worked in the US illegally

NEW YORK – President Joe Biden slammed Elon Musk for hypocrisy on immigration after a report emerged that the Tesla CEO once worked illegally in the United States.

Musk, who was born in South Africa, has denied the allegations.

“The richest man in the world ended up here as an illegal worker. No, I'm serious. He was supposed to be in school when he came on a student visa. He wasn't in school. He was breaking the law. And he's talking about all these illegals coming our way? Saturday. Biden said during a campaign rally at a union hall in Pittsburgh.

According to the Washington Post report, Musk worked in the country illegally while on a student visa.

Citing company documents, former business associates and court documents, Musk came to Palo Alto, California in 1995 for a graduate program at Stanford University “but did not enroll in the course, instead working at his startup,” the newspaper said.

In response to a video post of Biden's comments, Musk wrote on X: “Actually I was allowed to work in the United States.” Musk added, “The Biden puppet is lying.”

Investors in Musk's company, Zip2, were concerned about the possibility of their founder being deported, according to reports, and gave him a deadline to get a work visa.

The newspaper also cited a 2005 email from Musk to his Tesla co-founders acknowledging that he was not approved to be in the United States when he started Zip2.

According to the account, that email was submitted as evidence in a now-closed California defamation lawsuit and said Musk had petitioned Stanford so he could stay in the country legally.

Kasturi is the richest man in the world today. He has pledged more than $70 million to help Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and other GOP candidates win on Nov. 5 and is one of the party's biggest donors this campaign season.

He has headlined the final stretch of the White House race, often echoing Trump's dark rhetoric against immigration.

Trump has promised to give Musk a role in his administration if he wins next month.

X and Tesla did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment from Musk.